Highland Park shooting suspect contemplated second Independence Day massacre

Washington:The man accused of opening fire into a crowd at an Independence Day parade this week has admitted carrying out the rampage,as chilling new details emerged of his plan to commit a second mass shooting.

Two days after the horrific Highland Park massacre that has killed seven people,suspect Robert E Crimo III appeared in court via video link from jail on Wednesday (US time) to face seven charges of first-degree murder.

Robert Crimo III appears before Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak in his initial court appearance on Wednesday,July 6,2022,in Illinois.

Robert Crimo III appears before Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak in his initial court appearance on Wednesday,July 6,2022,in Illinois.AP

The 21-year-old did not enter a plea but was held without bail after county prosecutor Ben Dillon told the court that he had confessed to the attack in the Chicago suburb after he was arrested on Monday night.

But as he awaits a second court hearing later this month,police have revealed how Crimo fled the scene,disguised in women’s clothing,and later drove to the neighbouring state of Wisconsin where he contemplated committing another massacre at a July 4 event in the Madison area,about 239 kilometres from Highland Park.

The amateur rapper,who also goes by the musical name “Awake”,ended up having second thoughts and returned to Illinois where he was arrested,about nine hours after his initial rooftop attack.

“It appears when he drove to Madison,he was driving around;however,he did see a celebration that was occurring in Madison,and he seriously contemplated using the firearm he had in his vehicle to commit another shooting in Madison,” said Lake County Major Crimes Taskforce spokesman Christopher Covelli.

Alleged Fourth of July gunman was disguised in women's clothing,authorities said.

“His motivation isn’t necessarily clear,and I don’t want to go specifically into what he told investigators,however,he had some type of affinity towards the numbers four and seven.”

Those numbers,which Covelli added “apparently comes from music that he’s interested in” represent the date of the Independence Day shooting:July 4.

The massacre has once again rocked the US and intensified what was an already polarising debate over gun laws.

What was meant to be a celebration of the nation’s identity and freedom turned into yet another horror story shortly after 10am on Monday when Crimo,armed with a high-powered semi-automatic-style rifle,began spraying bullets into the crowd,killing seven people and wounding dozens of others.

Terrified parade-goers fled Highland Park’s Fourth of July parade after shots were fired,leaving behind their belongings as they sought safety.

Terrified parade-goers fled Highland Park’s Fourth of July parade after shots were fired,leaving behind their belongings as they sought safety.Chicago Sun-Times via AP

Among the victims was Katherine Goldstein,64,whose daughter Cassie toldNBC how she had been shot in the chest as they were running to escape the bullets.

“I knew she was dead,so I just told her that I loved her,but I couldn’t stop because he was still shooting everyone next to me,” she said.

Fresh questions have also emerged about how Crimo was able to bypass four background checks and buy five firearms despite a history of dangerous behaviour.

In April 2019,for example,police attended his family home after he was reported for attempted suicide. Police returned in September that year,and ended up confiscating 16 knives,a dagger and a sword after a family member called to say he was threatening “to kill everyone” there.

Dozens of mourners gather for a vigil near Central Avenue and St Johns Avenue in downtown Highland Park.

Dozens of mourners gather for a vigil near Central Avenue and St Johns Avenue in downtown Highland Park.AP

However,in December 2019,Crimo applied for a gun owner’s ID card,which his father sponsored. He was later able to use this to legally purchase his guns.

Asked if this could pave the way for potential charges involving family members,State Attorney Eric Rinehart said:“I don’t want to answer that question right now in terms of what our work continues to be,to look at all of the information and evidence in this case.”

But he added that more needed to be done to educate the public and law enforcement agencies about “red flag” gun laws,in which police and family members can petition a state court to order the temporary removal of firearms from someone they believe may present a danger to others or themselves.

In his first court appearance,Crimo,with shoulder-length hair and dressed in black,showed little emotion as the prosecutor outlined how the suspect confessed to the attack after he was apprehended.

Crimo only spoke briefly to confirm that he did not have a lawyer,after which a public defender was appointed to represent him.

If convicted on seven counts of first-degree murder,he would face a mandatory life prison sentence without the possibility of parole. However,the seven counts are not likely to be the only charges against him after the state attorney said there would be “many more charges” for each individual hurt.

The Highland Park attack was the latest in a string of mass shootings in recent months,coming only weeks after the Uvalde massacre in Texas,in which 19 schoolchildren and two teachers were killed,and the Buffalo grocery store shooting in New York,in which 10 people were killed in a predominantly black neighbourhood.

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Farrah Tomazin is the North America correspondent for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

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